Cullahill An Chúlchoill | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Approaching the village on the R639 | |
  Cullahill Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:52°49′06″N7°28′32″W / 52.818429°N 7.47551°W /52.818429; -7.47551 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | County Laois |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-1 (IST (WEST)) |
| Irish Grid Reference | S390761 |
Cullahill orCullohill (Irish:Cúlchoill / an Chúlchoill, meaning 'the back of the woods/behind the woods') is a small village situated on theR639 road inCounty Laois,Ireland.[1] Cullahill takes its name from an ancient forest that coveredCullahill Mountain and extended down toCullahill Castle.
A priory of Augustine canons was founded here in 550 by O'Dempsey, under the invocation of St. Tighernach who is now the patron saint of the area.
The village is home to an impressiveearly 15th century tower house, once the principal stronghold of theMacGillapatricks ofUpper Ossory.[2] The castle bears the image of asheela na gig.
Under their patronage, a medical school flourished at Aghmacart townland, about a mile from the castle from before 1500 to c.1610. It was conducted by the Ó Conchubhair family. Its physicians includedDonnchadh Óg Ó Conchubhair (fl. 1581-1611),Risteard Ó Conchubhair (1561–1625),Donnchadh Albanach Ó Conchubhair (1571–1647) andCathal Ó Duinnshléibhe (fl. 1592-1611).
According to 1837 records, Cullohill was listed as a village in the parish of Aghmacart.[3][4] Aghmacart is now atownland of Cullahill and contains an old church and graveyard which are still in use.
It is now part ofDurrow parish and is in theRoman Catholic Diocese of Ossory.
Cullohill is surrounded by countryside and has several public walkways and trekking trails in the nearby hills.[5]
TFI Local link operated by JJ Kavanagh and Sons provides a daily journey each way from Portlaoise to Cashel 828 and Thurles 858 replacing M&A Coaches, Bus Eireann and Aircoach[citation needed]
The local GAA club isThe Harps which was formed in 1984 as an amalgamation with Durrow. Up until then Cullohill had its own hurling team and had won theLaois senior hurling championship in 1955 and 1964. The 1955 team was captained by Lar Dunphy and the 1964 team by Martin Mahony.
Darina Allen, née O'Connell, acelebrity chef, is a native of Cullohill.
